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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · current · bay · board · chair · scale · wind · bulb

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — to get on
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. current — happening now
  7. board — a committee
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. current — electric
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bulb — for light
  20. current — of water
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com